Curling Trophies

Found within the collection of the Museum are several curling tankards and several photos of curling teams with their trophies.  Most were won by or feature the Southampton Curling Club, showing the club was a force to be reckoned with around the turn of the 20^th century.  Below are some of the stories taken from local newspapers.

This trophy dated 1897, features that names Peter Foster, William Logie, Brock MacAulay, Doran Macaulay, Douglas MacAulay, J.E. Williscroft, A.E. Bowman and J. Logie.  The February 4^th, 1897, edition of the Port Elgin Times features a front-page article “The Owen Sound Bonspeil” with the by-line “Southampton wins the $125.00 Tankard”.  Briefly the article says “Just as we go to press we learn that Southampton has won the tankard.  The final match was played between Meaford and Southampton”.  Unfortunately, the players aren’t named, but it is thought this tankard is the one referred to.  Later that month the team travelled to London to compete for the Western Tankard but were defeated by Sarnia by one point.

Seen here are the winners of the Owen Sound Tankard 1898.  The trophy on the left is the tankard that was won at the 1896 championship. The Port Elgin Times dated January 27, 1898 mentions “Wiarton, Hepworth, Southampton, Port Elgin, Walkerton, Chesley, Harriston, Listowel, Markdale, Dundalk, Orangeville, Bolton, Mount Forest, Fergus, Brampton, Barrie, Orillia, Meaford, Collingwood, Stayner, Shelbourne, Kincardine, Paisley and Stratford have been invited to a big bonspiel in Owen Sound to commence on February 8^th”.  The February 10^th edition of the Times carried a brief update regarding the Port Elgin rinks, but the next editions do not feature any stories about the outcome of the competition. At the time Bruce was in the midst of a provincial election, and news was turned in that direction.  We do know from the photo and its description that the Southampton club came out on top.

In February 1902 the Southampton club won the prize presented by the Governor General at the Ontario Tankard. The club beat Galt by seven shots.  According to the Port Elgin Times, this was the clubs “first appearance at the big competition”.  Skip Brock MacAulay was the hero of the day where “no shot was too hard for him to make.  He worked in some splendid draws and finished seven up, which was exactly Southampton’s majority at the end.”.  The two rinks consisted of H. Spence, W. Cameron, W. Logie, P. Foster, George McAulay, George McIver, J.E. Williscroft and Brock MacAulay.

In 1906 the Southampton club were victorious once again of the Owen Sound Tankard, as seen in this photo.  The February 22, 1906, edition of the Port Elgin Times mentions “Four rinks of the Southampton Curling club left on Monday morning to attend the Owen sound Bonspiel.  The skips were Brock MacAulay, W.J. Cameron, Peter Foster, and John (Moose) McIver.  The latest report states the Moose McIver’s rink won the first prize.  The other men on Moose McIver’s team were J. McVittie, T. Taylor and F. Lee.

Winning rinks did not always receive trophies.  A January 29^th, 1903, edition of the Port Elgin Times mentions “Our curlers did well at the Sault, capturing two second prizes”.  One of the prizes was a cut glass berry dish, valued at $15 and the other prize was a bronze clock, valued at $10.  The players who received these prizes were George McAulay, George McIver, J.E. Williscroft and Brock MacAulay.  In this photo, taken by E. Hart of Southampton between 1900 and 1919, we can see these curlers not only won a tankard, but also silver trays, woollen blankets, and electric lamps.  The winners of these prizes are unidentified.